LEWISBURG – Nearly one year after escaping from federal custody in Lewisburg, U.S. Marshals have arrested the lone remaining escapee who fled from the prison camp on the Lewisburg Penitentiary grounds last July.

United States Marshal Michael R. Regan announced Wednesday that Derrick Wilson was taken into custody by USMS personnel in Atlanta.

Wilson was wanted for his July 20, 2008 escape from the Federal Prison Camp on the grounds of the United States Penitentiary at Lewisburg. At the time of his escape, Wilson was serving a federal sentence from the Southern District of New York.

In May 1996, Wilson was arrested by the United States Secret Service in Norfolk, Va., on charges of trafficking in alterned and cloned cellular phones. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 33 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. After being released from federal prison in February 1998, Wilson was placed on 3 years of supervised release.

In October 2002, Wilson was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration in New York City on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of 121 kilograms of cocaine, distribution of 100 kilograms of marijuana, money laundering, and felon in possession of a firearm. He was jailed on these charges. Based upon his 1996 conviction in federal court, Wilson had his supervised release revoked from his case in Norfolk. He was sentenced to four months in custody on this violation.

In April 2003, Wilson was released on bail on the New York City federal drug case. He pleaded guilty to these charges in the Southern District of New York. In late December 2006, he received a 72-month federal prison sentence, with 10 years of supervised release to follow.

On February 20, 2008, Wilson arrived in custody at the Bureau of Prisons facility in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

On July 20, 2008 at approximately 1:00 A.M., Lewisburg federal prison officials received information that several inmates may have fled from the prison camp. An emergency bed check was conducted. This check revealed Wilson and another inmate, Anthony Prince, had escaped.

Upon notification by the Bureau of Prisons of the escape, U.S. Marshals conducted an investigation throughout Union County and surrounding counties. Assistance was provided by state and local law enforcement authorities.

On January 5, U.S. Marshals located and arrested co-escapee Anthony Prince in Charlotte, N.C. When arrested, U.S. Marshals found Prince in possession of multiple forms of false identification. These included fraudulent identity documents, credit cards, and business cards. Prince has since been returned to the Williamsport area, where he is undergoing federal prosecution for escape.

Shortly after the escape last July, U.S. Marshals in Williamsport developed leads on Wilson in Norfolk and Charlotte. It was determined he had ties to these cities, as well as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Interviews and surveillance were conducted by U.S. Marshals Service personnel throughout the country, to include Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Newark, Honolulu, and New York City.